Ecommerce Glossary

Ecommerce

Electronic commerce: an industry in which buying and selling of products and services is performed over electronic platforms, especially the internet.

Etailer

A retailer that trades online.

Multi-channel retailer

A retailer that has a physical store as well as an online store to sell their products and/or services. A common term to describe this type of retailer is a “brick and click” retailer.

Pure player

An etailer that has no physical store and who solely sells products and/or services online.

Omni-channel retailer

Multi-channel retailers who offer their products and/or services through all shopping channels.

Last mile (ecommerce)

The final stage of an ecommerce business-to-consumer (“B2C”) parcel delivery. This is when the parcel is handed to the customer and is one of the most crucial elements of ecommerce.

IT integration

The automated transfer of data between IT systems. In ecommerce environments, successful integration enables the seamless data flow from the hosted web site to third party back-end systems, such as the courier. This eliminates the need for recapture and ensures data integrity as well as providing real-time feedback and notifications to client systems (tracking and event data).

API

EDI

RFID

Fulfillment

The process of capturing an order and preparing it for delivery. It can include, but is not limited to, picking, packing and labeling.

Shopping cart

The section of an etailer’s website where a list of the products and/or services selected for purchase by the customer is stored.

Doorstep experience

The experience that a customer has in those few moments when a parcel is handed over by the courier/delivery person. In most cases this is the only physical interaction that the etailer, through its chosen delivery provider, has with its customer. It is a vital stage for etailers as a bad doorstep experience decreases the likelihood of a repeat purchase.

Parcel tracking

The process which allows customers to view the progress of their order, throughout the supply chain, until delivery. The etailer usually provides a tracking number when the order is placed.

3PL

Third party logistics provider

Cloud computing

Storing data outside your computer or phone and/or performing computing tasks using software and applications that are not installed on your computer or phone. Other computers, connected to yours via a network such as the internet, are used instead.